Chapter 2
~Katniss~
"Everdeen step forward please." said the head Peacekeeper, he is one that always buy game from me, and he especially love the rabbits. I stepped forward from the line of teens that had applied to go to the Academy. I wore black pants, a faded green shirt, and my hunting boots. I did not have to do much for my evaluation because they know what I can do. I walked up to him and he handed me a slip of paper with my rating on it. "Rating Eight." he said in monotone and I nodded. After everybody had gotten their rating we were permitted to go home and change into finer clothing for the acceptance ceremony with somebody from the Capitol. I ran straight home and the first person I saw was my little sister Prim.
"What did you get?" she asked sadly yet eagerly.
"I got an Eight." I said kneeling down next to her.
"Does that mean you'll get in?"
"I don't know Little Duck." I said using her nickname that I gave her because she always leaves the back of her shirt untucked like a duck tail.
"I laid something out for you." my mother said from the kitchen.
"Okay." I said, giving one last smile to Prim before going up and getting ready. After bathing and getting dressed my mother braided up my hair while Prim sat and watched. We were all silent as we walked from our house to the Town Square where the ceremony would take place. I hand my rating in one hand as Prim held the other. I stepped into the line and waited for the Capitol person to make their appearance. And soon she did.
"Hello everyone. Oh is this all we have today?" she said as she looked out at all of us. "Well, let's continue." she said and read a name off the list. "Katniss Everdeen." a woman named Effie Trinket calls my name. She is dressed clad in pink from her head to her toes. Even her hair is a light shade of pink. I stepped forward in my faded blue dress that used to be my mothers. It's a little too big for me but I ill grow into it eventually. "Peacekeeper Rating please." she, Effie, asks cheerfully.
"Eight." I reply flatly, handing her my slip of paper.
"Great, step through there." she gestures to the Justice Building and I do as she says.
No one comes, I was the first of us to come in here, one of few. But now I am the only one. I am going to train in the Academy. After sitting in the room for almost an an hour, a Peacekeeper lead me into another room to say goodbye until I see them again. And my family was the first people that I saw.
"Katniss! Don't go!" my ten year old sister shouted as her arms latched around me.
"I have to Little Duck. I'm doing this for us." I say trying to calm her.
"You need to stay home for us!" she countered.
"Who will hunt for food?" my mother asked finally speaking up.
"Don't worry. Gale will hunt and gather for you, Peeta and Madge will help too. Mom you have to keep running the Apothecary, show Gale what herbs to gather and he'll get them for you."
"Okay."
"You can't fade out again, Prim needs you and Madge won't always be there." I said and she nodded. I hugged both of them tightly as the Peacekeeper told them their time was up and too them away. Thirty seconds later three voices filled my ears, bombarding me with questions.
"Are you crazy?" came from my only girl friend Madge, the mayor's daughter.
"Why are you doing this? We need you here!" said the baker's son, Peeta, his blue eyes shining with worry.
"What the hell are you thinking?" Shouted my best friend and hunting partner Gale.
"I'm doing this for Prim, for all of you, and for me. If I get Reaped I want to come out alive, I will fight. And if Prim gets Reaped, you can be sure as hell I won't let her go into the Games. And if I never go into the Games, then I'll be able to hunt that much better." I explain looking at them to see how they are taking it all in. Madge looked close to tears, Peeta still had the look of worry in his eyes, and Gale looked angry.
"I'll still think you're out of your damn mind." he said with clenched fists.
"I'm sorry. Gale please don't let them starve, mother will need plants and herbs for medicine." I said and he nodded, his hardened face softening.
"I'll help too, my dad loves your sister." Peeta said.
"Madge please be there for here, I don't know how there my mom will be."
"I promise." she confirmed and I hugged each of them. First Madge, then Gale, and finally Peeta. As soon as I let go of him a Peacekeeper ushered them away. I sat there in the window, trying to catch one last glimpse of my District that will have to last me for several months, until the I come back here again. The "Perky in Pink" Effie Trinket soon came and took me to a commercial train to pick up other future trainees of the Academy from other Districts.
When I entered the train, it looked like more than I would expect a commercial train to be like. The carpets were a deep blue, the carpeted floors were a dark gray almost black color, and maroon curtains lined the windows and were pulled to the side to allow sun to shine through. Crystal lights hung from the ceilings and bottle of different colored liquids lined the back wall near the food tables, which was decorated in all sorts of foods that I had never seen before.
"This is the District 12 car. The other Districts each have their own cars on the train. And since you are the only one from your District you have this one all to yourself, besides me. Oh, where are my manners? I didn't properly introduce myself. I'm Effie Trinket and I'll be your escort on this journey you'll be on." she rambled.
"Katniss." I said but she already knew my name.
"I think it's very brave that you are doing this. I honestly don't know why others wouldn't be as determined as you to get to the Games. To want to bring honor to their Districts." she continued on and on until I couldn't take it anymore.
"Can I go to my room now?" she wrinkled her nose at my outburst but nodded.
"Right through that door dear." she said pointing to the door behind me. I nodded and walked briskly to it almost slamming it behind me. I stared at my room, the same walls, carpets, and curtains, but in this room was a giant bed, the blankets matched the curtains with an embroidered pattern sewn in with gold thread. There as a set of double doors that must be the closet, and curiously I opened it to find that it was filled with clothing, shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, shorts, shoes, everything I would need. None of it is what I had back home, no this was all stuff from the Capitol. The only other door in this room must be to the bathroom, which was lavish at the sight. I went back to looking at the clothes in the closet when Effie opened the door.
"Katniss? Would you like anything to eat?" she asked.
"Are all of these for me?" I asked pointing to the closet.
"Why yes, they are for you to wear during your stay at the Academy." she said perplexed. I stood there in thought. It was almost as if they knew that I, a fourteen year old girl, was going to be on this train. All of these clothes looked like they would fit me. "So would you like something to eat?" she asked again, bringing me out of my musings.
"Um yeah but can I change out of this dress first?" I asked pulled at it slightly and she nodded. I quickly changed into pants, shirt, and boots before walking out to see an Avox placing food on the table. I sat down and quietly loaded up my plate of food.
"So Katniss, do you have any questions about the Academy?"
"Do I have to tell people where I'm from?" I asked and she looked a little surprised.
"Why wouldn't you sweetheart?"
"Because I'm scared that people are going to hurt me because I'm from District 12."
"I see, well its up to you whether you want to tell people. The Peacekeepers already know and the Trainers are going to find out." she said and I nodded.
"When are we going to get to District 2?" I asked after taking and chewing a few mouth fulls of food.
"In a few days dear, we have to pick up the other new students." she said and I nodded, turning back to my meal. When I was done an Avox brought out some dessert but I was already full.
"May I be excused?" I asked politely.
"Of course Sweetheart." she said and I went straight to my room. The first thing I did when I got there was dive straight onto the bed. I thought it would be hard because just by looking at it, it looks like a giant square with sharp pointed corners; but no, it is actually soft, quite soft as a matter of fact. I laid there, my head in the soft pillows, and body splayed out across the bed. And I stayed like that for the entire night. And over the next few days, I never left my room. Only to eat and when Effie made me leave. I mostly spent the entire day looking out the window to see the journey from District to District pass by.
It did not scare me as I got further and further from home. Or that I got further from my comfort zone, the woods. No, I had to be brave and strong. If I let people see my weakness they will use it against me and tear me down and step all over me. And I was not about to let that happen. I do not want people knowing where I am from or many people knowing what my name is. I'm not coming to the Academy to make friends, one or two maybe. But friends are not my priority. Most of the Careers that train there think that emotions make them weak, but I on the other hand, they make me strong. They push me to succeed. I will not be scared of the Careers training there, but what I will be scared of however, is all of the death that comes out of it. They train killers and everybody that comes out of that place and into the Games kills people just for a show and for honor when it isn't really one at all. I may be scared of the place itself but I will not and cannot show it.